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22
Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle www.mn.catholic.org.au
LAST WORD
RENEWAL AND NEW beginnings are
often thought about at the time of a
new calendar year. It is refreshing to
have an opportunity to start anew away from
this hype by accepting the invitation of the
Australian Catholic Bishops to participate
in the Year of Grace, beginning May 2012.
This coincides with the great celebration of
Pentecost.
The website was established as a means of
assisting parishes, schools and individuals
to find ways to "start afresh with Christ".
The site is a space for prayer and a place
On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.
And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
and the ghost of loss
gets into you,
may a flock of colours,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue,
come to awaken in you
a meadow of delight.
When the canvas frays
In the curragh of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.
May the nourishment of the earth
be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors
be yours.
And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.
To Bless the Space Between Us
John O'Donohue, Doubleday 2008.
IHAVE CARRIED this book with me on
my travels and have hardly known it
was there. However, as a contribution
to what it takes to be truly sustainable,
it is no lightweight. Within 100 pages,
Lacey's approach is authentically
ecological, integrating a presentation of
what has led to our current ecological
crisis and what is needed for healing,
from a social, cultural, economic,
political and environmental perspective.
Lacey's account of the dominant
features of human cultures over time is
helpful in tracing the manner in which
humanity has related to nature. As such
it is a useful lens with which to look
upon the evolution of our current plight.
Lacey begins with a presentation of the
holistic view of land, labour and life held
by communities of the Middle Ages, and
moves through to the consequences of
scientific and industrial endeavour from
the 16th century that led us towards
unhelpful dualisms and mastery of
nature. He ends his historical picture by
critiquing the current and indeed future
pull of technology and how it as a force,
interacts and reinforces political and
economic systems that lead to fracture
and fragmentation.
In presenting an antidote, Lacey speaks
of an organic perspective that is based
on principles of equity, subsidiarity and
what is local. Lacing his views with
specific personal examples of groups
and initiatives he has been involved
in, he makes the case for ecological
sustainability real, life-giving and natural.
While it is hinted at throughout, Lacey
concludes by making explicit the spiritual
connections that lie at the heart of this
movement and his commitment to it.
This book's strength is its capacity to
cover a breadth of concepts concisely,
without compromising on quality. For
those interested in obtaining a road
map to what it means to live sustainably,
Geoff Lacey's recent work is certainly
sufficient for the day.
Sufficient for the Day: Towards a
Sustainable Culture by Geoff Lacey
is published by Yarra Institute Press,
2011. Luke Edwards is Program
Manager, Catholic Earthcare
Australia.
By MARGARET WALKER
By LUKE EDWARDS
Compiled by DR JOHN AND CHRISTINE CAVENAGH
A student of the renowned Harvard University catches up
on the latest Maitland-Newcastle news!
If you have a photograph that you would like to be considered for Aurora,
please ensure it is high resolution (300dpi). E aurora@mn.catholic.org.au
As of next month, Sr Louise Gannon RSJ will compile this column (see page 14).
Thank you to Dr John and Christine Cavenagh for their commitment. They write,
"We'd like to leave you with this blessing from John O'Donohue."
to find resources and information including
special liturgies, articles and books to
assist followers as they journey with Christ
in this special year. In the spirit of renewal,
the content of the website is constantly
updated, so adding it to your favourites
or subscribing to the e-bulletin, will see
you receiving new information and ideas
throughout the year. There will also be
information regarding e-conferences which
are a great way to share ideas and connect
with others within the Church as you make
this common journey.
The site is uncomplicated, easy to navigate
and has a clear message of building a
renewed relationship with Christ. This can be
through parish groups, schools, family and
prayer groups. "Attune our hearts and minds
to the presence of your Holy Spirit" is part of
the official prayer for the Year of Grace. The
articles and prayers on the site ask us to
have renewed faith and love in the everyday
situations we find ourselves in and with the
people we encounter each day. This is a
great challenge but one with great personal
reward for ourselves, our families and our
relationship with Christ.
www.yearofgrace.catholic.org.au